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New Adventures of Batman (TV Series) Episode: The Pest
(a video game) on the bat-computer. Bruce wins, and as a result of previously arranged wager, Dick is now saddled with cooking dinner. He tells Bruce that he's going to prepare his special dish - peanut butter and sardine pie. As Bruce groans his displeasure, an alert signal from Commissioner Gordon goes off, and the two race down to the Batcave to answer the call. When they arrive in the cave in costume, Batman sees that someone has been tampering with their equipment. He has a nagging suspicion as to who the culprit might be. From out of nowhere, the impish Bat-Mite suddenly appears in the cave. Batman and Robin have dealt with this pest before. Bat-Mite is bored in his home dimension and wants to aid the dynamic duo in solving crimes. Batman is more concerned with Commissioner Gordon's urgent summons and has little patience for Bat-Mite. After shooing Bat-Mite away, Batman and Robin get into the Batmobile and drive to police headquarters. When they arrive at police headquarters, Commissioner Gordon shows them a video-taped broadcast of the Joker. The Joker announces that he will soon be committing another of his nefarious crimes and challenges Batman and Robin to stop him. While taunting the caped crusaders, the Joker leaves them with a clue to his crime, "Oil and water don't mix". Bat-Mite suddenly appears in Commissioner Gordon's office and irritates everyone in the room. Batman has little time to entertain Bat-Mite. They only have an hour to prevent the Joker's next crime. Batman and Robin return to the Batcave, but Bat-Mite follows them. Batman forcibly removes Bat-Mite from the cave and tells him, "Don't call us. We'll call you". Robin searches the bat-computer for clues, but turns up nothing. Batman finds a newspaper article about a scientist named Doctor Julius Irwin who is unveiling his new "Aquacar", a vehicle that runs on water instead of gasoline. Batman knows that this is where the Joker is going to strike. They decide to inform the commissioner immediately. Bat-Mite meanwhile, still determined to help, elects to stop the Joker himself. He hops into the Batmobile and tries to turn it on. After punching a series of buttons, Bat-Mite activates all of the Batmobile's accessories including hydro-lift wheels and grappling hooks. Batman and Robin run after him and deactivate the Batmobile by way of remote control. Batman admonishes Bat-Mite once again and drives off to see the commissioner. Gordon, Batman and Robin go to the Gotham City Convention Center. Professor Irwin unveils his aquacar and demonstrates its capabilities. Batman and Robin think the professor is acting strange, and after noticing an odd-shaped ring on his finger, determine that this is really the Joker in disguise. They prepare to ambush them, but Bat-Mite arrives and sabotages their sneak-attack. The Joker hopes into his Aquacar and takes off. The caped crusaders fail to stop him, but they find the real Professor Irwin tied up in a tool shed. Irwin warns them that unless certain conditions are met, the Aquacar will explode. Unfortunately, the blow to the head he suffered from the Joker has addled Irwin's brain, and he cannot remember the specifics that will cause the vehicle to explode. Later at police headquarters, Commissioner Gordon receives another video message from the Joker. The Joker taunts the police force to stop him, and Batman realizes that the message is being broadcast from right outside. Several officers run into the yard in search of the Joker. When they open the doors to their squad cars however, gallons of water begin flooding out, sending the officers to the ground. Batman and Robin chase the Joker and the Aquacar. They try to stop him using gadgets from their utility belts. The trick almost works, but for the intervention of Bat-Mite. Bat-Mite's well-meaning, but unwelcome assistance accidentally enables the Joker to get away. Batman and Robin return to police headquarters to speak with Professor Irwin. Irwin remembers what will trigger the car to explode - salt. If salt mixes with the water in the engine, it will convert the water to atomic energy, which will cause the vehicle to detonate; the more water present in the area, the greater the explosion. Batman and Robin have little time to waste. They theorize that he may be hiding out in the waterfront district. The salt air from the river poses a great threat if it comes into contact with the vehicle. ]] Robin takes the Batboat to the waterfront in search of the Joker. Bat-Mite shows up and Robin tells him to go away. Bat-Mite begins crying, and Robin finally relents. He tells him he can stay if he promises not to do anything. Bat-Mite agrees, but soon decides to investigate on his own. While sneaking about the docks, he encounters the Joker's hyena Giggles. Giggles nabs Bat-Mite and brings him back to the Joker's hideout on a freighter ship. The Joker then captures Robin with a fishing net. He removes his wrist communicator, and disguising his voice to sound like Robin, he calls Batman and tells him where he is at. The unsuspecting Batman tells Robin/Joker that he will meet him at Pier 7. Inside the hold of the ship, Robin grows worried that Batman is walking into a trap. He manages to activate his miniature bat-signal ring projector and alerts Batman to the trouble. Batman sees the signal and hits the ejection switch on the Batmobile. The ejector seat transforms into a bat-gyro and flies out to the other side of the pier. He manages to sneak up behind the Joker and captures him with a net. Commissioner Gordon and several police officers arrive to take the Joker into custody. Batman goes into the hold of the ship and frees Robin and Bat-Mite. That evening, Bruce and Dick sit down for dinner at Wayne Manor. Bat-Mite appears and Dick gives him a serving of his peanut butter and sardine pie. Bat-Mite slurps the entire dish down and grows instantly ill. Looking more green than usual, Bat-Mite disappears. Bruce asks for a serving of pie. Robin recalls that Bruce hated his cooking, but he responds by saying that he loves anything that is capable of keeping Bat-Mite away. | Producer1_1 = Lou Scheimer | Producer1_2 = Norm Prescott | Producer1_3 = Don Christensen | Writer1_1 = Chuck Menville | Writer1_2 = Len Janson | Appearing1 = '''Featured Characters:' * * Supporting Characters: * * Antagonists: * * Other Characters: * Julius Irwin Locations: * **Gotham City Civic Center **Gotham City Convention Center ** ** ** ** ** Items: * s * * * Vehicles: * * * * Aquacar | Notes = * First animated appearance of Bat-Mite. Although Bat-Mite is new to this series, the context of his dialogue with Batman and Robin indicates that he has shared in adventures with them in the past. | Trivia = * The morality lesson from this episode reveals how Professor Irwin was so concerned with his own success and self-esteem, that he recklessly endangered the lives of innocent civilians. Bat-Mite learned a lesson as well - if Robin is cooking dinner, he will make certain to eat elsewhere. * Batman's chest insignia disappears briefly during a scene in the Batcave when he is trying to apprehend Bat-Mite. * Robin's watch and belt buckle disappear at various points throughout the episode. * Batman's glove is miscolored in one scene where he is driving the Batmobile on his way to save Robin. * The Joker can perform a perfect imitation of Robin's voice. | Recommended = | Links = * The Pest entry at TV.com * The Pest entry at the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) }}